The present invention is related to dental equipment and methods of teaching performing root canals on the primary teeth of young children.
Prior to eruption, permanent (also referred to as adult succedaneums) teeth are located below the primary teeth, also referred to as deciduous, milk, baby, or temporary teeth. Although preventive measures have reduced dental caries, premature loss of pulpally involved tissue in primary teeth remains a common problem. Premature loss of primary teeth may result in mesial drift of the permanent teeth, which frequently leads to malocclusion. Retention of the pulpally involved primary tooth to preserve arch space is preferable to space maintenance if the tooth can be restored to normal function and is free of pathology.
Persons training to become dentists must learn how to properly remove diseased pulp and perform the other necessary procedures.
Dental students can use training devices or fixtures, such as manikins, with real or artificial teeth, that simulate an adult patient, for at least some of the student endodontic procedures. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,520,775, 6,988,894 and 7,713,063, which are incorporated herein by reference, disclose dental training aids and methods which assist a student in learning how to determine the position of an adult root canal apex, repair of adult dental decay, and how to perform crown and bridge procedures. Modular inserts are utilized that include structure thereon for performing root canal procedures, repair of dental decay procedures, crown and bridge procedures or other procedures. The inserts can be assembled and configured to provide practice on a particular procedure or on a variety of procedures and can be exchanged for other inserts once they are no longer reusable or because the user needs to train on a different procedure.
In young children, the buds of the adult teeth are located below the roots of the primary teeth. Due to their differences in anatomy, primary teeth present special problems not observed in adult teeth. Primary teeth are smaller in all dimensions than the corresponding permanent teeth. The thickness of enamel and coronal dentin to the pulp chamber is also thinner in a primary tooth. The distance from the occlusal surface to the floor of the pulp chamber is much shorter than in the permanent tooth. Primary molar roots are widely divergent and curved to allow for the development of the succedaneous tooth. Because of this, care must be taken when making an access opening into the pulp chamber to prevent perforation through the floor into the furcation area. During instrumentation the curvature of the roots increases the chance of perforation of the apical portion of the root or the coronal one-third of the canal into the furcation. Placement of root canal instruments and filling materials beyond the radiographic apex must be avoided to prevent possible damage to the permanent tooth bud, just beneath the primary tooth.
Therefore, there is a need for a training device that simulates a child's mouth and teeth for learning and practicing dental procedures on primary teeth while avoiding damage to the tooth buds located below the primary teeth.